One Day When You're Big and Strong
by Dieren
Summary: Changes in the Pride Lands spell trouble for those in the Outlands. Or is the truth more complicated? Short story depicting the fall of Zira from Vitani's perspective.
1. Chapter 1: Roar

_Gifted to Corderbollie._

* * *

"One of Simba's whores did this to our comrade, Amri," Zira gestured angrily to Amri's shoulder. It was chewed and torn, the exposed flesh under her fur a bright red patch against her mellow coat. It looked painful. But more than that, it wasn't an injury of self-defense, the damage had been inflicted intentionally. Whoever had attacked Amri had intended to hurt her. Zira began to pace. "Tell us, Amri," she snarled, "what were you doing in the Pride Lands?"

"I was hunting, Zira."

"What were you hunting, Amri?"

"I was hunting an injured zebra that had been separated from its herd, Zira."

"And why were you hunting in the Pride Lands, Amri?"

"To feed the pride, because the Outlands cannot sustain us."

"And why are we in the Outlands, Amri?"

"Because Simba banished you and your sisters from his pride."

"What was our crime?"

"Supporting Scar, a king who put lions before all other animals."

"That's right!" Zira slammed her paw into the dirt, sending a puff of dust billowing from the hard-packed earth. "Scar's arrogant little nephew punished us for our loyalty to our species, and now he's punishing us for our survival! Scar showed him mercy, and the thanks he got was death! Simba has no regard for our species, he's a coward and a traitor to his own kind. Lions are not equal to the stupid herd animals that we feed upon, lions are superior and deserve to take what we want! But," she began to pace again, "you can all plainly see the wound, this was not the typical petty scorn of a Pride Lands bitch. I'd expect such cruelty from Simba or his breeder bride, but from one of the others? They're all lazy, content to let Simba do all the intimidating, they've never attacked one of us without his almighty approval. They retreat, like cubs to tattle to their mother." Zira continued to pace, thinking aloud, blasting her thoughts for the gathered pride to hear. She didn't need to sort her thoughts, each was important and worth hearing. Nothing that crossed Zira's mind would be questioned.

"But now," she continued, frustrated by a question she didn't have an answer to, "something's different. Just last week, Simba banished an aardwolf. The trial was swift, so swift that my sources haven't even been able to determine what the creature's crime was. He's been patrolling the border with increasing frequency, he left his claw marks in a tree so aggressively that when I examined the mark, I smelled the faintest scent of blood, where he'd cut his paw against the splintering wood. It was the most delicious scent I've smelled in years. But it's not like the effeminate king to mark his borders so fervently that he harms himself. It was the mark of an angry animal, and while I didn't know Simba long, I could tell right away that his anger reeks of fear. Simba is afraid, and when he is afraid, he is dangerous. Vitani," Zira's head whirled around. Vitani's spine shot straight up as she stood at attention.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Find out what's gotten under Simba's skin. Whatever it is, it's put the entire pride on edge. I smell a new weakness."

"Whatever it is, I'll find it," Vitani affirmed. She was already plotting her infiltration, thinking of all the unguarded and sparsely populated regions near the border, all the large rocks and thick foliage that would provide cover from eyes in the sky as she made her way deeper into enemy territory. Avoiding detection would be difficult, especially if other animals were on alert as well. But she knew she could do it. Failure was not an option.

"You'd better. As for the rest of you," she looked to the pride. "Avoid the Pride Lands until we know more, hunt smaller game in the western regions."

"Perhaps I," Nuka stepped forward, "can be of service, Mother."

"Don't be stupid, Nuka," Zira scowled. "They'd spot you from a mile away. Vitani is a girl, the herds can't tell them apart. Has Kovu offered to help?" She gestured to Kovu, who sat silently, his dark mane shifting in the breeze. "He knows better." Though Kovu's mouth hadn't moved, his eyes grew smug.

"Kovu," Nuka made a disgusted face before turning back to Zira, "hasn't thought of the solution that I have."

"And what solution is that?"

"Why bother going to Simba when we can bring his son to us?"

"What use is that? Kion has that cursed Roar, and the wrath of Kion summons the wrath of Simba."

"Kion won't use the Roar against other lions unless he's afraid we'll hurt him or his friends," Nuka explained. "We'll cause juuust enough trouble to lead him to where we want him, then we'll trick him into telling us why his daddy's so pissed."

"Kion does possess his father's naïve nature," Zira pondered this, "but not his cowardly mistrust and paranoia, nor his treacherous temper. I'll think on this. Well done, Nuka."

"Thank you, Mother. I thought so, too."

* * *

"What's your plan?" Kovu asked as the two siblings padded through a dry riverbed under the starry sky.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"If you're planning on taking the path through the thickets south of the plains, those got burned down last dry season."

"I know that, Kovu," she rolled her eyes. "But how do you know that? You're not supposed to go into the Pride Lands."

"Says who?"

"Mother and, oh, I don't know, common sense?"

"Who's going to stop me? Simba?" Kovu snorted. "I've been training every day. Speed, reflexes, strength, jaw grip exercises, sharpening my claws, fasting for mental clarity. I dare him to try and stop me from going where I want to go."

Vitani looked at him. His gaze was forward, his jaw set. She'd noticed that his most recent growth spurt had pushed his frame out instead of up, widening his shoulders and thickening his chest. He looked less lanky, more sturdy, his muscles beginning to show under his fur. His mane too, had thickened, the strands were less fine, their coarseness added volume and protection. Kovu's strength had long surpassed her own. And yet, her concern for him was growing.

He was something he hadn't been before. Cocky. He had always been aware of his own limits until recently. He'd won every duel, excelled at every practice. It had been a long time since Vitani had seen the king, but Zira's pride felt certain that Kovu had an edge on him. The king had too many responsibilities to train as often as Kovu did. Logically, Kovu had an edge. Right? She chastised herself for having doubts, for doubting her brother's abilities. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

"Yeah," she responded quietly. "I know."

* * *

_"You are not my king!" Zira snarled viciously. "You are not anyone's king!" _

_Vitani cowered against her mother's heels as Pride Rock smoldered around them, hiding from the strange male that stood before Zira. He was much younger and more brightly colored than Scar was. She had heard his roaring, they all had, and it had enraged Zira. Then there had been fire, and fighting. Vitani was scared, she didn't want to confront the male, and didn't understand why her mother had brought them out of hiding. She didn't understand why the lionesses, who had always kept them safe, were standing with the stranger. Beside her, Nuka bared his teeth at the male, who ignored him. The new baby Kovu lay helplessly between Zira's front paws. _

_"Scar is dead, Zira," Sarabi stepped forward. "The hyenas are gone. It's over."_

_"I know that Scar is dead!" Zira snapped. "I'm not stupid! Are you?"_

_"Watch it," the male bared his teeth. "That's my mother."_

_"I know that, you cowardly brat!" She shrieked. "But have you all forgotten my son? Scar chose my son, not yours! Kovu is your king!"_

_"When Mufasa died, my son became king. His survival makes Scar's reign null," Sarabi countered angrily. "You cannot change that, Zira."_

_"Where was your precious king all this time, then, hmm? Tell me, what king abandons his home? He is not fit to rule!"_

_The male opened his mouth to answer, but it was Nala who spoke. _

_"You are no longer the alpha female, Zira! Know your place or I will teach you."_

_"Well now I know why you came back!" She spat at Mufasa's son. "Scar's body isn't even cold and you've already found yourself a plaything!" __Vitani, Nuka and Kovu flinched as the entire pride snarled in retaliation. _

_"Enough!" Sarabi shouted. "Zira, accept my son Simba as your king, or leave!" Her voice was hoarse. They all looked exhausted and dirty, their fur covered in sooty rainwater, some of them had open wounds. The male was covered in gashes and appeared weary. _

_"To go where?" Zira demanded. "You know that this is the only hospitable place for miles, I can't nurse three cubs for that long without water! Exiling us would kill us! You wouldn't kill children!"_

_"It sounds like you would," Simba shot back. "Every cub in the pride is protected, rejecting my pride would be your decision."_

_"How dare you?! I would die for my cubs!"_

_"Nobody has to die," Sarafina snapped. "Cut the theatrics, Zira. You're not fooling anyone. Mind your place, and this will be forgotten. Take the cubs back inside before they get sick."_

_"Well," Zira stepped back, exposing Kovu to the sprinkle of rain. The infant shivered. "Since you are the _only _female here who has managed to raise her child to adulthood, I suppose I should heed your experience."_

* * *

Vitani slipped through the grass, keeping a careful watch for any of Simba's lionesses as she stepped over a large branch thrown to the ground by the recent storms. Zira had encouraged Nuka to carry out his plan of luring Kion to them, but had not specified that he was to wait until Vitani had returned safely. Zira had been encouraging competition between the siblings, even delighting when they resorted to sabotage and cheating. Zira thrived on conflict.

Determined to find out what was wrong in Simba's paradise before her brothers did (as Kovu had opted to help Nuka, a rare moment of cooperation between the two, likely unified by a desire to show up their sister as any chance to earn Zira's praise was fair game), Vitani had changed her plans. Originally, she had planned to observe from a distance, looking for patterns or any indication of what the issue might be before narrowing down her options and deciding which clues to pursue. Now, her time to act was cut down. She needed to be bolder. She was going to eavesdrop on Simba.

It wouldn't be easy. He was rarely alone, and though he didn't often hunt, any of his enemies knew that he kept his skills sharp. Getting close to him without being detected would be the hardest part. First, she had to find him.

This would be easier. Simba was rather ritualistic, and often traveled the same paths. She needed to catch him when he was patrolling the border, it was her only chance of tracking him when he was both alone and in an area with a low population density. Somewhere where nobody would see her, but also where Simba wouldn't see her. The landscape, local animal population, and the wind direction would all have to work in her favor.

Fortunately, the dark clouds above signaled impending rainfall. The rain would disguise her scent as well as the sound of her paws. Until then, she would take advantage of the high visibility before the storm arrived and move as deep into the Pride Lands as she could. It was dusk, and would be night soon.

As she walked, the distant but distinct sound of a male's challenging roar sounded about two miles from where she stood. It was frustratingly familiar.

"Nuka," she hissed. He was literally calling Kion to him by feigning as a foreign threat. Nuka had disguised his roar just enough that the Pride Lands pride might not recognize it and assume that he was common rogue instead of Zira's son. Within seconds, the roar that she and everyone in the Pride Lands recognized as the king's roar of dominance sounded about a mile in the opposite direction. Simba had already dropped whatever he was doing and was on his way to fight whoever had challenged him. What Nuka didn't realize was that not only might Simba reach Nuka before Kion did, but that Nuka had likely summoned most of his angry lionesses as well. He was going to get himself killed someday, she thought.

Vitani perked up as she realized that her brother's stunt had drawn the king and his pride towards the border and away from Pride Rock. Vitani wasn't stupid enough to attempt to go anywhere near Pride Rock, but she knew that Simba's strange friends, the meerkat and the warthog, resided by a small waterfall not far from Pride Rock. The vultures, whose alliance shifted with the winds, had told Zira's pride this much. Simba was known to spend time with them, and the area was sparsely populated and thickly vegetated. There were plenty of places to hide, and few potential prying eyes. Simba's guard would be down, and he might speak openly. It was perfect.

"Thank you, Nuka!" She grinned. "You poor, stupid idiot." Vitani broke into a run, determined to cover as much ground as possible while the pride was distracted. She hadn't even managed a thousand paces before she realized her mistake.

"Intruder!" a shrill voice above her shrieked. She scowled at the bird above her. While the herd animals might not be able to tell a local lioness from an outsider, the birds had better eyes and better memories. Her cover was blown, she had been stupid to run in the open between the trees before nightfall. Realizing the immediate danger she was in now that the bird had taken flight towards Pride Rock, Vitani skidded to a stop and assessed her options. She could try to hide somewhere in the Pride Lands, but she didn't know the terrain well enough to know where to go. The closest border was to her right, the desert. Spouting every swear word she knew, Vitani bolted towards the dunes in the distance, abandoning her mission. Before long, far behind her, an angry lioness roared. The flying rat had reached them, and the lioness wanted Vitani to know that they were aware of her presence.

Then, another lioness even further away roared. Then another, further still. A pause. Then, from miles away, came the king's unmistakable roar. This time, it was even angrier. Vitani pushed herself to run faster. Simba had been heading towards Nuka, but he was now focused on her. She, an intruder, was now his priority.

By the time she'd made it to the place where the earth met the sand, her legs felt as though they were about to give out. Still, she pushed herself a few more paces until all four of her paws felt the grains of sand shifting with subtle hisses beneath her weight. Frustrated at her failure, she swiped a pawful of sand as she panted. The wind blew the sand directly into her open mouth.

"Augh! Blegh!" She spat and wiped her muzzle. "Stupid! Fucking! Sand! Aargh!" The lioness slumped down in frustration, satisfied that she had made it out of the Pride Lands and would not be followed. "Stupid Nuka. Stupid Kovu."

Above her, a vulture began to circle.

"What the fuck do you want?" She shouted, her eyes still watering from irritation. The vulture swooped down and landed a few paces before her. It was Mzingo.

"You Outlanders have made the king quite angry." His voice dripped with amused pleasure. "That's his kill call. You'd better keep running."

"They won't chase me out here," she scowled. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Oh, far from it, little Vitani. The show hasn't even started yet, I'm just looking for the best seat."

"No show here," she began to walk away. He began to hop beside her, his movements oddly swift, if not unnatural. "The border is a hundred paces back that way, the Pride Landers are too good to cross it."

"Oh, I hear good King Simba isn't 'too good' to do much of anything as of late. Just last week, he struck a deal with us vultures that your mother simply cannot match, and I must say, it might have secured our affections for him permanently."

"We don't need you or your flying mites, Mzingo. If you're such good friends with Simba, why are you wasting your time out here instead of picking at his leftovers?"

"Now now Vitani, I do have a heart. I came to warn you."

"Warn me about what, that Simba's angry? Big deal, he's always angry. He doesn't scare me."

"He should. In a conversation quite unbecoming for one who puts on such airs of superiority, he promised us vultures first pick at the next lion he kills. If you aren't careful, that will be you."

"Simba doesn't kill other lions, he doesn't have it in him."

"Oh, but that just isn't true, little one. Simba has quite a bit of fight in him. Some say he has a cruel streak."

"If you're trying to intimidate me, it's not working."

"I'm doing you a favor, you bullheaded feline. You must understand that in exchange for the promise of dining on such a delectable selection, I have made quite a lengthy and resolute vow to the king not to communicate certain affairs with his enemies. Affairs that your pride would be most interested in."

"What makes you think I need you to find out what's going on?"

"Another attempt might cost you your life. The king hasn't been himself as of late. The little angel on his shoulder has left home. The game has changed. You've been warned." With that, Mzingo took flight.


	2. Chapter 2: Slither

"Vitani," Zira's head turned sharply. "It's about time, where were you?"

"I was doing reconnaissance in the Pride Lands," she panted, struggling to suppress her breaths to avoid appearing overly fatigued.

"And got caught," Nuka smirked.

"You shut your damn mouth, I did not!" Vitani shot back, enraged at being provoked by the animals who had undermined her mission.

"Hush, both of you!" Zira snapped. "It doesn't matter, we have our answer. It seems sweet Prince Kion," she smiled wickedly at her daughter, "has left the Pride Lands."

"Taking the Roar with him," Kovu added smugly. "Simba's little pet thundercloud is no longer an obstacle."

"Exactly," Zira began to pace. "What we don't know is how long he'll be gone. Perhaps weeks, perhaps years, like his coward father. We must assume our time to act is limited. However," she began to circle Kovu looking him over with satisfaction. "A large-scale attack would be bloody, and though it's tempting, I think we can cut our losses this time. If we infiltrate his pride and earn their trust before he can put up his defenses, we can eat them from the inside out before the little brat gets back."

"How is that gonna work?" Nuka cocked his head. "Simba's like, mega paranoid, he'll know something is up. That guy doesn't trust _anyone."_

"He trusts his beloved harlot pride. And they are considerably more naïve. We just have to trap Simba into complying, make it so that his precious reputation hangs into balance. Force him into a corner and make him dance. You, Kovu, will save the daughter. I believe I remember something about royal debt, perhaps those uptight morals can work to our advantage for once."

"Save her from what?" Vitani scoffed. "She's never alone."

"She doesn't have to be, to hell with anyone who is with her," Zira dismissed. "The only one who has to survive is the princess."

"What are we supposed to do, another stampede?" Nuka giggled. "Maybe Simba will actually get stomped out this time!"

"What a stupid notion, Nuka!" Zira admonished. "Do you even think? Scar was a genius who timed the events of that day perfectly, every detail, every little variable was accounted for! It took weeks of planning, months even! Do you seriously think your little ragtag team could accomplish such a perfect crime?"

"Well when you say it like that," Nuka backed down, "of course not, that's...pssh, stampede, that's stupid."

"Kiara will be alone during her first hunt," Kovu spoke up. "An isolated target should be easy to trap."

"Perfect! That's perfect, Kovu! Well done. We'll smoke her out."

"How'd you know that, Kovu?" Vitani narrowed her eyes.

"Everyone knows that, asshole," Kovu scoffed, refusing to make eye contact.

"We'll need spies in place," Zira began pacing. "Vitani, make Mzingo do it."

"He's on Simba's side now, he won't help us," Vitani informed her mother, wincing slightly when Zira whirled around.

"What the hell do you mean? Mzingo has no alliance, certainly not with the likes of Simba!"

"That's not what Mzingo thinks. I talked to him today, Simba has offered the body of the next lion he kills to the vultures, and you know Simba keeps his deals."

"Ugh!" Zira was frustrated this information. "I'll kill that flying tick!"

"Well, let's make it even all around," Nuka had worked up the confidence to speak again. "Let's help Simba keep his deal and earn their alliance back, we'll just give them his body! W-wouldn't that be something?"

"That's sick, Nuka," Zira smiled. "I like that. Finally, something sensible has come out of that mouth. Yes, we'll feed Simba to the vultures, the hyenas, and every dirty scavenger within a hundred miles, and I'll make that bitch Nala watch."

"I never liked her," Nuka made a face.

"She was brainwashed by the first male she slept with, the subservient little whore," Zira snorted. "I'm sure the mango hasn't fallen far from the tree. That will work to our advantage, Kovu."

"Eww," Nuka cringed, "you want him to mate with Kiara?"

"Of course not, you brainless idiot! That inbred bloodline isn't worthy of him, do you really think I'd have our future king soiled by Simba's kin?"

"I don't know," Vitani deadpanned. "If he did, Simba might just stroke out and drop, make things easier for us."

"Fuck you, Vitani!" Kovu growled as Nuka cackled.

* * *

"Pride Rock is too far from my territory," the rat snake dismissed.

"Come on!" Vitani was frustrated. "You don't have to go to Pride Rock, just find out where she'll be hunting! Or when, you just have to give us something!"

"I don't 'have' to give you anything," the snake snapped. "You cats and your coups. The overthrow of Mufasa didn't affect my life much, nor did the overthrow of Scar. Why should I help you overthrow Simba? What's in it for me?"

"What do you want?"

"I don't know of much you could give me," the snake pondered this. "Although I suppose the disruption of the mammalian powers does throw all the little ones into a chaotic frenzy, and that does make for good eating."

"But that's not good enough, is it?"

"It's only a hypothetical return for my investment, which is steep, mind you. Hooves are a bit of a problem for us, you know, and there are quite a lot of them where you're asking me to go. I'd need something that would reflect the risk I'd be undertaking."

"Name it."

The snake narrowed his eyes. 'You don't know what I eat, do you?"

"...Rats?"

"It figures you would say that," the rat snake was clearly displeased. "You know I may not care if he lives or dies, but the king knows the answer to that question, for what it's worth. He knows how to talk to his subjects."

"Cute, I bet that really comes in handy."

"He has tact," the snake looked Vitani over. "Something you could use a bit more of."

"I'll keep that in mind. Just tell me what you want and I'll get it for you," Vitani tried to contain her exasperation. "You want a whole nest of dead animals? Because I'll hunt whatever you want."

"Hmm, no," the snake smiled, "I'm better at hunting what I like, you'd better stick to the hoofed creatures. I want you to bow to me."

"Bow to you? Really?" the lioness made a face.

"Bow to me as the king's subjects bow to him, or there's no deal."

Vitani considered the absurd request, weighing her pride and her drive to finish her mission. The thought of returning home without what she needed (or worse, returning home to see that one of her brothers had gotten the information before she could) was enough to stuff down her dignity. Stiffly and with great reluctance, Vitani bowed to the snake.

"Yes," the reptile was clearly deriving great emotional pleasure from this interaction. "Now call me 'your excellency.'"

"Nobody calls Simba-"

"Do it or there's no deal."

"...Of course…" the lioness cringed into the dirt, momentarily contemplating snapping the snake's spine in her jaws just to satisfy her anger, "...your excellency."

"Oh, that was just delectable. Alright, daughter of Zira, I'll find out what you need to know." With that, the snake slipped into the grass, leaving Vitani feeling uncomfortable and used, but unable to explain why. In a fit of blind frustration she didn't have the words to express, she kicked a nearby stick, sending it flying into the field.

"I am so eating him when this is over," she hissed.

* * *

Holding the lit twig between her teeth as she ran, Vitani quickly learned to breathe through her nose so as not to inhale the searing heat rising from the dancing flicker of fire. The fur and skin on her cheek felt uncomfortably hot, the flame sometimes growing and flickering close to her eye as she carried it quickly across the fields. Finally, she reached their destination and lowered her face and began the next stage of their plan; burning the fields down. An unfamiliar excitement filling her gut as she heard the 'whoosh' of a the brittle grass igniting furiously. She continued to run, giddily spreading the damage with every step, leaving Nuka in the dust as he meticulously picked through the twigs and stiff growth.

The smell of smoke in the air was invigorating, sparking her instincts, as the fear of fire was inscribed into her genes as much as the instinct to breathe.

When she was satisfied, surveying the smoldering lands with a thick sense of pride, she turned back.

"Nuka, we're done! Get over here!"

"Ho boy, Mother's gonna like this!" Nuka grinned, galloping towards her.

"If it works. Come on, let's get out of here before we get burned to a crisp."

* * *

"Our future king has succeeded!" Zira announced triumphantly, basking in the glow of their roars of praise. "Yes, yes! Kovu has fooled the gullible royal family and secured their trust! He is with them as we speak!" The lionesses cheered with elation, excited that their plans to occupy the Pride Lands had finally begun to come to fruition. Vitani sat beside her mother, surveying the crowd. The looks on their faces were ones of relief and excitement. However, her mother was seething with a different energy.

She was practically quivering at the concept of tasting blood. The water and hunting grounds, their survival, it was all tertiary to power and the downfall of her enemies. This didn't sit with her as calmly as it normally did. For years, it had been all talk. Now, Kovu was actually in enemy territory, directly in harm's way. Yet Zira showed no more concern than she had when the danger was merely hypothetical. Mzingo's words echoed in her head.

_"Oh, I hear good King Simba isn't 'too good' to do much of anything as of late."_

"Vitani will be the first to spy on his progress. Vitani," she turned to her daughter, who snapped to attention, "Go. Report back at sunrise."

"Yes, Mother."

Vitani had rehearsed her route well, but still she treaded with the utmost caution. Above her, the clouds obscured the moon's light. The Pride Lands were dark, with neither stars nor the moon to illuminate her shape. The herds were asleep, the birds nesting, and the hunters had eaten. For most, night was a time to rest. For others, it was a period of restlessness. She found her mark and crouched, before pouncing and gripping the rough bark with her claws, using all of her strength to pull herself up.

Vitani couldn't see much from her tree, Pride Rock was still a good ways away, but if something happened, she would know. The pattern of travel to, from, and around Pride Rock was predictable and routine. If there was a disturbance, it would be immediately clear. She thought about the plan, how much losing the alliance of the vultures had cost them. How much danger it had put them in.

It should be Mzingo or one of his goons perched in this tree, not her, she thought. After she stewed on this for a while, she thought about what life would be like once they succeeded.

If they succeeded.

Chastising and shaming herself for allowing doubt to seep into her mind, she pushed all thoughts out, and focused only on her job. And that job was to observe. Not think.

Hours went by. At some point, she saw movement on Pride Rock and saw what appeared to be Kovu's dark shape standing to stretch before settling down again. So, he hadn't been allowed into the den. If Kovu had been invited inside, it would have been an insult not to follow. It appeared that Simba's trust in Kovu was not as instant and blind as Zira had assumed it would be. This was troubling. An hour or so later, Kovu rose and slunk off alone. Vitani wasn't sure what his plan was, and she didn't like that. She lost sight of him behind some trees and boulders. She wanted to jump down and follow him, but knew that it was too close to sunrise, the birds were beginning to stir. Instead she dropped from the tree, her paws and joints aching after hours of stiffly perching, and bolted for more familiar land, knowing that her reptilian replacement would already be in place.

Her report was not received well by Zira.

"He slept outside the den?" She snapped.

"That is correct," Vitani answered neutrally.

"So not only is Simba a coward, he's ungrateful," Zira began to pace. "That stupid bastard. No matter," she stopped and glanced at Vitani, as if she'd momentarily forgotten of her daughter's presence. "Well? Go make use of yourself."

"Yes, Mother," she nodded before bounding off, resolved to slink away to her current hiding spot and take a nap before her absence was noticed. Though she dared not show it, she was exhausted.

* * *

"Well?" Zira asked as the red skink Shupavu returned to their agreed meeting place at the crocodile river.

"My payment?" Shupavu asked.

"Nuka!" Zira snapped at the male, who immediately jumped and nudged forward three baby field mice that he'd snatched from a burrow he'd dug up. Nuka wasn't good at much, but he had an unbeatable knack for locating small things.

"These will do," Shupava took her time swallowing each little pink body, licking her lips in-between bites. The tension in the air rose as Zira's patience began to drain.

"What," the lioness asked tensely, "have you found out?"

"I'm a spy, not a detective," the skink answered slowly, knowing Zira wouldn't kill her while her fellow skinks were nearby, watching the interaction from the safety of a scraggly acacia. Zira's pride's alliance with the skinks was shaky at best. It was clear that they were ambivalent about Simba, and their favors came at a steep price. Mice burrows were time-consuming to find and required constant watch to protect them from hawks and other opportunistic predators. "But there seems to be trouble in Simba's paradise."

"Oh?" This interested Zira. "Do tell."

"I saw the king by the watering hole, and I've never seen him look over his shoulder so many times. He's rattled. Scared, even. That little blue nuisance Zazu is attached to his shoulder, he's never alone. And he's pissy. The queen tried to talk to him, but he shut her down, said something unsavory that ruffled her feathers, it would seem. She stood there while he turned his nose up and walked away."

"Even I have never heard of him treating his bride so coldly," Zira was pleased. "Oh, that is delicious, isn't it, Vitani? I wonder what's got the Pride Lands' favorite couple in a tangle. I do hope it wasn't us."

"Simba with blue balls," Vitani rolled her eyes. "This'll be fun."

"Gross, Vitani!" Nuka made a face. Vitani smirked.

"I want to know more," Zira announced.

"Simba knows who I am, I'm not getting any closer to Pride Rock," Shupavu deadpanned. "Every mouse baby in the Pride Lands isn't worth my life."

"He's distracted, he won't even notice you," Zira argued. Her voice was deceivingly calm, but there was a hunger behind it.

"That's when he's most dangerous," Shupavu countered. "He's in a bad mood, no Kion to hold him back with some preachy little bit about morals, and now no Nala to reason with him? Tsk tsk, that royal blood runs hot, his reputation as being the softest of his line is scarcely holding up. He's going to snap, and I don't intend to be in his reach when he does."

"We're not scared of his kind," Zira sniffed. "I'm disappointed to hear that you are. It seems we have no more business with you. Such a shame. Nuka," she turned towards her son. "You were asking for a chance to redeem yourself, this is it. Dispose of her."

Nuka hesitated for only a split second before leaping after the skink, who shot into the grass with a hiss. Vitani flinched as Nuka dove forward with a snarl. Shupavu's scream was cut short as Nuka bit down. Her fellow skinks hissed and chittered from the tree.

"Let this be a lesson to you lizards!" Zira called out as they disappeared. "I will be the alpha lion, it is I who am to be feared, not Simba!"

"So uh," Nuka glanced down at the limp skin in his jaw, his voice muffled by her body. "What do I do with her, Mother?"

"I think you've earned a snack," Zira turned away dismissively. Vitani's stomach turned as Nuka dropped the skink and hungrily began to chew at its leg.

* * *

Vitani spent several more nights watching Pride Rock, and each night Zira became more frustrated with the lack of progression. Vitani was able to grasp snippets of the pride's goings-ons, but they were unable to piece any of it together, unable to determine what these observations meant. Simba was isolating himself from the lionesses, keeping Zazu by his side and refusing to engage in pride bonding. Vitani didn't know if this was unusual for him or not. Kiara was seen with Kovu, but always in public, and Vitani couldn't determine from his body language what was going on. He looked...almost relaxed. But that was impossible. The pride seemed wary of both Kovu and Simba, but otherwise kept to their usual business. None of it was helpful.

Then, the last night that Vitani would ever stand guard for Zira came. She didn't know it at the time. The night progressed as normal, with the lionesses retiring to the den for the night, along with the princess. Kovu slumped into his usual spot away from the mouth of the den. The pride appeared to be settled for the night. Vitani shivered as a cold breeze swept through.

Then, she saw Simba's figure emerge from behind some trees. He was, for once, alone. No blue bird, no meerkat or warthog, no lionesses. It was just him. He strode with an air of confidence, or perhaps it was cockiness. A wicked grin spread across Vitani's face. She couldn't believe her luck. Kovu was between the lone king and his precious pride. They couldn't have planned in any better. This was the moment Kovu had been training for, what they'd all been waiting for. Positive that Simba's death was imminent, she scrambled out of the tree and raced towards a fallen tree to get a better look. She wanted to give Zira all the details personally, recount the timing and swiftness, narrate Kovu's daring conquer. Finally, finally they'd be able to leave the cursed Outlands. These herds and lush, fertile hunting grounds were as good as theirs.

But when she reached her vantage point, Simba had already reached Kovu. They appeared to be talking. Precious time was slipping away. The lionesses would notice them, Kovu's chance to strike before they could stop him was slipping away.

"Get him," she prompted quietly, as if her whisper could be carried by her eager will and reach his ears. It wasn't too late. Or was it? Simba began walking towards the den, his back exposed. Kovu followed behind, his gait neither tense nor poised. It was...casual. Treacherously...casual. "What are you waiting for Kovu? Get him!" She hissed, realizing that it was too late. Kovu had blown his chance. There might never be another. Zira would be furious, and Vitani would have to face her. Enraged at the position Kovu had put her in, put them all in, she turned and ran towards the Outlands with a scowl.

As she ran, her mind ran through what she had seen. Stupid, stupid Kovu. She didn't know why he'd done it, but she knew that Zira would take it as nothing short of treason. Betrayal. He would be cut from their plan, then punished. Somebody would have to take his place, carry out their plan. Zira would turn to someone else to kill Simba, or perhaps she would kill him herself. Neither of those possibilities bode well for the pride.

Though none of them had dared mention it, Simba had defeated Zira once before. Vitani hadn't been present for the fight, but she remembered that it had left her mother rabid with rage, a bloody piece missing from her ear, and they'd been sent from the pride. Sent to the Outlands. Vitani had vowed to hate the strange young male who had hurt her mother, and hurt their family by driving them out. And hate him she would. But, loathe as she was to admit it, Simba had only gotten bigger and stronger as the years had passed. Stronger and meaner. While they had fought over scraps, he had been fed well by his pride, building muscle, his frame filling out to peak performance. He outweighed and outmatched every scrawny rogue who dared to cross paths with him. Simba was undefeated, and word of his fierceness had spread. The rogues were fewer and further between, as all in the region knew that the face him was to risk death.

Nobody talked about it, but Simba had killed before. After Scar. None of them had seen it, in fact Zira vehemently denied that it was anything more than a rumor, but word was the defeat had been brutal, the rogue's jugular crushed with a horrible sound between Simba's incisors, the blood of his own kind dripping from his jowls. There had been no clemency, no trial. No mercy. The rogue had challenged him and Simba had killed him. It had been a year since that incident. None had seen the rogue, they were unable to say how good his chances had been against the king. But certainly good enough that he'd felt confidence enough to take him on. A choice that had cost him his life.

Vitani knew that she would do whatever it took to secure their goal. To kill Simba was to never go hungry, to never shiver in the cold, to bask in the sun as his pride did. To control the best hunting grounds for hundreds of miles. She would do whatever it took to accomplish this. But as she realized that Zira would not likely face him alone, it was becoming more clear to Vitani that she was next in line to face the king, if Kovu wouldn't.

She hated Kovu in that moment. Hated him as much as she'd hated...well, not as much as Simba. But what he had done was unforgiveable. By not facing Simba, he was forcing her, significantly smaller and less prepared, to take his place. Never in her life had she felt more betrayed. A chill went down her back as she realized what was going to happen next. It was unavoidable.

It was then that Vitani realized that she didn't want to die.


	3. Chapter 3: Down

"Zira!" Kasi returned from her trek, panting as she skidded to a stop. "Simba took Kovu out to the burnt fields in the north, they're alone."

"Finally!" Zira whirled around. "Something is going my way!"

Vitani had never seen her mother as enraged as she'd been when she'd heard that Kovu had neglected his mission to kill Simba. She had visibly cycled through a brief phase of denial, repeatedly asking if Vitani was sure of what she had seen. She was. Then, she'd quickly shifted into a state of red-hot anger. She'd sent Kasi to the Pride Lands to find out where Simba would be that day, determined to regain traction. Zira refused to lose.

"And-and they were alone, yes?" Zira prodded.

"Yes," Kasi panted. "I don't know what they were doing there, but-"

"It doesn't matter," Zira dismissed, turning around, now sparking with manic energy. "Gather every pride member and order them to meet me immediately. Simba dies before sunset!"

"Right away," Kasi dashed off. Vitani nodded curtly and bounded after her, but felt a sharp tug that sent a spark of pain down her spine. Zira had grabbed her tail.

"Not so fast," Zira spoke in an ominously calm voice. "Vitani, in light of _recent events,_ I need to know that I can trust you."

"Of course, Mother. On my life."

"I'll accept nothing less," Zira released her. "But I'm glad to hear that, Vitani. I'm glad we checked in."

Vitani nodded awkwardly before catching up to Kasi, who had paused, looked at Vitani with concern. Kasi and Vitani weren't close, but there was some sort of solidarity between them that Vitani didn't quite understand, but it was appreciated. Kasi's eyes were worried.

"You good?" Was all she asked.

"Yeah," Vitani looked away. "You?"

"Yeah."

This was all that was said as they separated to do Zira's bidding and gather the rest of the pride. They didn't know any other language.

* * *

Finding Simba and Kovu had been child's play, both so distracted by their conversation that they didn't pick up on the slender figures padding through the ashen soil until they were upon them. It was as if the universe had cast its harsh, uncaring light upon their cause and sent for the males to be brought to Zira. A divine sign that the odds were in their favor. It was fate.

Vitani's stomach turned as Kovu's fearful eyes darted between the lionesses, realizing that any alliance he'd had with them had been burned. She saw as his ears tilted back, and his rear paw made the slightest step towards Simba. This was the first time in a long time that Vitani had seen Simba up close, close enough to see his whiskers twitch, his pupils darting between them as he measured their odds. She couldn't help but noticed that Kovu, who had always seemed so sturdy and strong, looked small next to him. Simba's frame was taller, his chest wider, even his paws were bigger. She tried to dismiss the sinking realization that she had underestimated his sheer size, perhaps even that Kovu had never had a chance against him anyway. No, she shook her head to clear it. It wasn't time to think about that.

Zira saw it, too.

"Well done, Kovu," Zira's voice dripped with pleasure, her first strike being one purely of words. "_Just_ like we always planned."

Simba's reaction was instant.

"You!" He snarled viciously at Kovu, who cowered, struck with the horrific realization that he didn't have an ally in this fight. This was not the reaction of someone angered at the betrayal of a trusted friend, but rather the ignition of a mistrust that had been present from the start.

Not 'how could you,' but rather,_ 'I knew it.'_

"No, I didn't have anything to do with this!" He desperately tried to appeal to Simba's mercy, but it was too late. While Simba and Kovu were distracted, Zira hissed her command.

_"Attack!"_

They moved in as they'd been trained, surrounding Simba from all sides.

Vitani's memories of what happened next would always, for the rest of her life, be hazy, shrouded in grief and blurred by adrenaline. But this is how she remembered what happened next.

Simba batted them off, but they outnumbered him, and he seemed to accept this. Vitani managed to mount his back, gripping his mane with her teeth and yanking as hard as she could, attempting to pull the hairs from his skin until she felt a paw swipe at her leg. She jerked her head to see Kovu feebly attempting to fight them. White-hot rage engulfed Vitani. How dare he act against them? Was he too stupid to realize that if Simba weren't about to die, he'd be fighting Kovu as well? Didn't he realize that he'd lost any hope of an alliance with Simba and now he was shredding any hope of forgiveness from Zira? If Zira saw what Kovu was doing, Vitani realized, there was no telling what she'd do. She'd sensed that Zira had hoped that Vitani had seen what she'd seen incorrectly, or that Kovu was merely developing his own plan for their cause. If she saw Kovu attacking his own pride, there was no telling how deep her wrath would run.

Vitani was hurt, she was furious, she hated Kovu now more than she ever thought she could, but she knew that Zira could not see what he had done. She bucked, her kick catching him by surprise and sending his skull arcing backward into a stone embedded in the dirt. He was stunned, perhaps even unconscious.

There was no time to assess this as Nuka leaped with a grunt, the inertia of his weight thrusting Simba forward. The lionesses were forced to dive away from him as he fell over the edge, Nuka himself barely managing to skid to a stop, giggling wickedly. Simba's body hit a ledge before he landed with a 'thud' below them, struggling to stand. There was no telling if the ledge had broken his fall or broken his ribs. He shook his head and managed to find his footing, looking up at them, assessing his chances once more. He was deep in the ravine, trapped.

"Yes!" Zira grinned. "We've got him!"

Vitani saw his chest inhaling deeply. He was trying to catch his breath. He couldn't be allowed to recover.

She lunged with a snap, and Simba bolted. This was fine; he had nowhere to run. They would catch him eventually.

They attacked as they were able to gain ground, but nobody was able to drag him down, he was moving too quickly.

"Remember your training!" Zira scolded. "As a unit!"

Ahead of them, he skidded to a stop as they all realized what lay before them at once; a pile of congested logs, half-rotted from sun exposure and water damage. It was steep, unstable, and dangerous. The rotten logs were at the bottom, with fresh, strong and heavy logs piled on top. The lower ones would snap, sending the ones atop tumbling down. He'd be stupid to try and scale it.

He looked back, seeing his death bounding towards him. Even from a distance, she saw the fear in his eyes. Zira had always described the feeling of seeing the fear of your enemies as euphoric, pleasurable. She felt nothing. This wasn't fun, it wasn't a game. It was just something that had to be done.

Simba surprised them by leaping into the air as high as he could and beginning to climb. They came to a stop below him, watching. Were the logs more stable than they'd thought?

A log broke under his weight, causing him to stumble as a larger log was dislodged, crashing down before them. They jumped back, now sure that they could not follow. He would fall, or be crushed. They only had to wait. Above them, Kovu appeared.

"Get him, Kovu!" Zira commanded. "Get him! Do it _now!"_ There was no possible way for Kovu to get to Simba without endangering or killing himself, but his safety was not Zira's concern. This was her last attempt to allow him back into her good graces, a last chance to rejoin them. If he somehow survived, he might be forgiven, the entire disaster waved off as nothing more than youthful stupidity. Vitani wondered if she would have ever been granted the same clemency. She doubted it. Kovu was the chosen one.

Nuka's blind attempt to finish the mission was something Vitani tried never to think about. The gulp he made as he slipped, the sight of him falling, the thunderous crash of logs, she tried to block it all out. It wasn't how she wanted to remember him. He deserved better. He deserved so much better.

The thing that stood out most about it to her was that she had been bracing for the inevitable clash between Zira and Kovu, dreading the moment when they met. It hadn't crossed her mind that Nuka would be the brother she lost. Kovu's retribution had been laughably light, a swipe and an exile.

Struggling to contain her shock and grief, Vitani distinctly remembered the exhausted and manic faces of her pride sisters as Zira had swallowed the loss and declared war.

"Listen to me!" She'd panted, her mouth practically frothing. "Simba is injured and weak! Now is the time to attack! We will take his entire kingdom..._by force!"_

This was not the first time Zira had looked unstable. Vitani was, if she was being honest, afraid of her mother. She was unpredictable, dangerous, and manipulative. Anyone with half a brain would be scared of her. But the darkness of Nuka's passing and the speed at which it was swept back to make room for her agenda rattled Vitani. Would they not be allowed to rest, to grieve? Would they leave Nuka's body here, without even a burial?

They had no choice but to agree. Vitani felt herself go numb and distant as her own roar joined the chorus, to hesitate was to disobey. And there was no room for that.

* * *

"Last chance, Zira," Simba warned. "Go home."

Vitani was surprised to see him not only standing, but at the front line, before his pride. Nobody, not even Nala stood in front of him. A quick glance revealed that neither Kiara nor Kovu was present.

Vitani didn't know what to make of this. She supposed it made sense that Simba had not allowed his precious princess to fight, but she had, for some strange reason, expected to see Kovu. She didn't know why, she knew this didn't make sense. Of course he wouldn't be stupid enough to try to appeal to Simba, or Nala. But then where was he? Where had he run? _And why did she care?_

"I _am_ home," Zira purred, seeing the lashes across Simba's body, and depth of his breath. He was weary. "Attack!"

This snapped Vitani's mind back to where it should be.

Kill Simba. Killa his bride. Kill anyone who tried to stop them.

His bride. Nala. Simba was injured and weak, yes, but clearly not as much as they had thought. If Nala were killed, he would break, and killing him would be easy. His emotions would be his undoing. Nala was the body she wanted.

She held herself back as her pride sisters leaped at Simba's pride, their bodies colliding violently. She looked for the queen, spotting her pale muscular figure circling around the fray. Nala was no coward, she wasn't avoiding a fight. She was looking for someone. Vitani glanced to her left, where Zira stood on a ledge gleefully calling out commands to those who had circled Simba. He had been guarded by a small group of lionesses, but he had broken through them, charging forward and fighting for himself. Instead of remaining in the thick of the fight, Nala had broken off. Then, Vitani realized what the queen was doing.

Nala was trying to ambush Zira. Nala was bold, Vitani gave her that. She had also practically delivered herself to Vitani, who had the high ground.

Nala was focused, she needed to be distracted.

"Where's your pretty daughter, Nala?" She taunted. Nala's head snapped up, her bright eyes blazing.

"Vitani!" She snarled. With a growl, Vitani pounced.

She had done it a thousand times. The angle was perfect, her form flawless. Nala should have crumbled under her weight. Instead, Vitani felt herself flung forward, Nala's claws deep in her shoulders as she landed with a harsh 'thud!' in the dirt, her spine and hips aching from the impact. Nala had pinned her, but did not strike.

"Where is she?" Nala growled. Vitani bared her teeth.

"Who?"

"My_ daughter!"_ Nala dug her claws in deeper, her incisors now an inch from Vitani's throat. "Does Nuka have her? What have you done with her?! I will rip the answer from you if you don't give it to me!"

Kiara was missing, Vitani realized. Nobody knew where the princess was. What was more, Nala didn't know Nuka was gone. Did Simba?

In a moment of uncharacteristic vulnerability, the words slipped from her mouth with none of the force of a proper hunter, none of the might of a fighter. Just the whisper of a grieving sister.

"Nuka's dead."

Nala hadn't expected this. Some of the anger dispersed from her face. She was distracted. Vitani lunged, but Nala caught her in a heartbeat, blocking her. Nala was stronger, and just as fast.

_"You could have been so much,"_ she hissed, swiping Vitani across the face. It hurt, but her claws had been sheathed. Then Nala was gone, running towards Simba, likely to tell him that Kiara was not in enemy grips, as they must have suspected. This explained why Simba had shown restraint; they had thought Zira had come to bargain, to brag about holding their daughter hostage. Now there was no reason for them to hold back. Vitani wondered how this would affect their battle strategy as she stood. She felt Zira's presence, harsh and unwavering.

"Well?!" Zira demanded. "After her!"

Vitani bolted back into the fray, not giving herself the opportunity to catch her breath.

* * *

Zira lauded herself as something of a war genius, versed in pain and suffering, plotting and scheming. This went unquestioned. Vitani liked to think of herself as at least as smart as the average lioness, able to see patterns coming. Simba and Nala, each seasoned veterans of foreign affairs, were likely surprised by little.

None of them, not one in either party, had expected Kovu and Kiara to land between Simba and Zira.

"Daddy, this has to stop."

Zira had described the princess as spoiled, naïve, stupid, and weak. As she stood her ground between the two most feared lions for many miles, she did not seem to be any of these things. She guarded Kovu against her father, and he guarded her against Zira.

"You're even weaker than I thought!" Zira was outraged. "Get out of the way!"

"You'll never hurt Kiara, or Simba!" Kovu shouted back, standing firm as all eyes were on him. "Not while I'm here!"

Zira was enraged. Vitani felt herself flinch at the sound of air hissing through her teeth.

"Stay out of this," Simba warned. It wasn't a threat, though. It was a warning. This was significant. Kiara had stood before her father, the king, and defied him in front of his entire pride and his enemies, and yet she still stood before him, unpunished. Simba was not a weak animal, Vitani knew that he was also not a sweet and gentle animal. Yet he allowed her to speak further.

"A wise king once told me, 'we are one.' I didn't understand him then, but, now I do."

Simba began to argue. "But, they-"

"Them? Us? Look at them," she pleaded. "They _are_ us. What differences do you see?"

Kiara had ostensibly disappeared, evidently with Kovu. She had defied her father publicly, and then argued with him for the sake of his enemies. Zira would have drawn blood, she would have left scars, she would have unleashed hell. Yet Simba did not strike her, he did not shout. He merely looked...tired, his eyes passing over their faces. The rage had faded. Then, Vitani realized, his rage had never been directed at them. Only Zira.

When had Simba ever sought them out to harm them? When had Simba ever ambushed them in their own territory, when had he ever threatened them? When had Simba so much as spoken to them? When had he ever laid a paw on any of them but Zira in a time that was not self-defense? She couldn't recall a single time. In that moment, Vitani realized that to Simba, it wasn't about her, or her pride sisters. This was about Zira. It had always been about Zira. She could see it in Simba's face, in the way his bloodied and chewed body sagged, in the way his eyes passed over them with nothing but pain.

Kiara was standing up for them, her father's enemies. And Simba was considering her position. Even after all of this time.

Losing Nuka, almost losing Kovu...those years suffering in the Outlands...what had it all been for? To kill a king who only wanted peace? Simba had banished Zira, but who had kept them captive? Who had barred them from seeking greener pastures?

_Had Zira even told the truth about why she'd been banished? About what had happened the day the king had attacked her and sent her out of his lands?_

As if sensing a falter in her loyalty, Zira went to work snapping orders.

"Vitani, now!"

This was an order to attack. Attack Kovu, attack Kiara, attack Simba, it didn't matter. Her only direction was rage, was action. If she attacked Kovu, Kiara would attack her. If she attacked Kiara, Simba's entire pride would tear her to pieces. She had no hope of reaching Simba before Kovu and Kiara, who were both still fresh, having spared themselves from the fight thus far, stopped her. Kovu and Nala both braced for Vitani's response. The order made no sense, it accomplished nothing. It was impulsive. Everything Zira did was impulsive.

Who had praised Zira's intelligence, her prowess? Zira herself. Who had vouched for her ability to deliver promises that they had never known? Zira herself. If Vitani did as she was told, she would be killed. Her own mother was casting her life as one last kicked stone at a king who, Vitani now felt sure, their pride could not take down. His pride was larger, his lionesses well fed. Simba himself was massive and lean, and willing to die for his pride. They never had a chance. Everything Vitani had been raised for had been nothing but the foolish training and raving of a madwoman scorned by an enemy she didn't fully understand. If Vitani died, who would bury Nuka? Who would see that Simba didn't rip Kovu to shreds? The war was over, they'd lost. Didn't Zira see that? Years of unshed tears and repressed rage, weighted with the exhaustion of a life that was slowly killing her from the inside out emerged as one firm, resolute sentence.

"No, Mother." Silence as everyone stared. "Kiara's right," she took her chances, and decided where her loyalty lay; her brother, and by extension, Kiara. What that would mean to Simba, she didn't yet know. All she knew was that she couldn't go on like this any longer. _"Enough." _

"If you will not fight," Zira narrowed her eyes icily. "Then you will die as well."

Vitani felt as though she'd been kicked in the chest. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kovu tense, ready to defend her. Her vision blurred for a moment as the thin remnants of her world shattered. Her mother didn't love her anymore. She was nothing. Had she ever been anything? Had she ever been loved? She blinked as her pride sisters began to step towards her, away from Zira, sneering at her in disgust. Simba's lionesses glanced at Simba, who gave a subtle nod, as if to say, _let them be._ Zira was unable to comprehend the treachery.

"What?! Where are you going?" She screamed. "Get back here!"

"Let it go, Zira." Simba's voice was now void of all strength, nearly shaking as he remained standing. "It's time to put the past behind us."

"I'll never let it go!" She swore.

Deep in the ravine, there was a loud crash that echoed through the walls, sounding up to them on the surface. Confused by the sound, they turned their heads. Zira saw her chance, she saw that all were distracted by the noise.

"This is for you, Scar!" Vitani heard her hiss before she launched herself at the group. Just as Vitani bared her teeth and rose her paw to protect herself, there was another flash of movement, and Zira's mass was thrown backwards, tumbling over the edge along with another body. Vitani blinked.

"KIARA!" Simba and the others scrambled to the edge, their eyes frantic. Vitani and the others joined them. If Kiara died, so too did their hope of peace.

"KIARA!" Vitani had never heard Kovu sound so afraid. Vitani's heard pounded as she searched the walls below for them. Then someone gasped as Simba went over the edge, his claws clinging to the chalky sides of the walls as he called out again to his daughter. Were Zira, Kiara, and Simba all going to die right before their eyes? Vitani's mind raced. What was going to happen?

"There!" Someone shouted. They all looked, and saw the two lionesses dangling over the abyss just as the water broke the dam, and began to rise.

"Simba, where's Simba?" Nala was frantic. Someone pointed him out, struggling to balance on a kojpe. "Simba, the river!" She shouted, warning him that the water was rising. Simba grit his teeth and leaped back into the rockface, his paws leaving bloody patches as he moved, his nailbeds shredded and bleeding from being dug into the cliffside and used to anchor his weight over and over. As the canyon bent, they were unable to see him past the curve.

"Please me okay, please be okay," a young lioness with a head tuft beside her prayed aloud. Vitani recognized her as one of Kiara's peers, Tiifu or something.

Vitani saw that Zira was slipping. She knew what was going to happen. She turned away. She didn't need to see it. Everyone else remained lined at the cliffside. Zira's final cry echoed down the ravine as she was claimed by the churning water. Vitani felt as if her chest was full of stones, her body feeling suddenly cold and stiff.

Eventually, somehow, Simba and Kiara surfaced, and Vitani's pride sisters stepped back fearfully as Simba's pride surrounded them, admonishing both of them for taking such foolish risks.

"It's in our blood," was all Kiara had to say.

Simba nodded silently for his pride to step to the side with him, leaving Kiara and Kovu in earshot as they reunited between the two prides. Vitani, who sat alone, the closests to the couple, heard much of what was said.

"So," Timon approached Simba atop Pumbaa, "what'll it be for them?" He jerked his paw back at them.

"My feud with Zira is over," Simba murmured. "I have no reason to turn them away, but I leave that decision to my queen, as pride matters are her jurisdiction."

"Well," Nala took a deep breath, moving closer to Simba to support his weight. He leaned on her shamelessly. "Ladies, you know Simba and I will never let harm..." her voice faded as she lowered it, so as not to be overheard. A few things were being discussed.

"Even after everything they did?" An older lioness argued.

"What Zira did," Nala corrected.

"Simba," the lioness gestured to his body. _"Look at you._ Your mother is going to cry just seeing you, you look near death."

"Some lions just lost their mother," Simba responded. "I'll heal." Nala whispered something to Simba, who looked disturbed. Reading his lips, it looked like he asked, 'Nuka?' Nala nodded solemnly. Simba looked over at Vitani, and their eyes locked for a moment. She offered no confirmation. He offered no consolation. How could he? Nuka had tried to kill him. So had she. In the end, Nuka's demise had been an accident. Vitani was angry at Simba, angry that it was his weight that had sent the logs down to crush Nuka. She wanted to hate him. But she was tired of hating him. She was tired of feeling anything. While Nala discussed with the lionesses, behind Vitani, Imara spoke.

"What're they going to do to us?"

"Do you really think they're going to listen to Kiara?" Tazama asked.

"Where are we going to go?" Kasi whispered.

"I can't believe Zira just..."

"...Yeah. Me neither."

Vitani let all of it drown out. She didn't know what she was going to do. Nobody seemed to know what happened next. Was Kovu really going to ask to stay? Were he and Kiara going to run off? Would her pride sisters stay together? Vitani didn't know. She didn't care. She felt broken. She had no orders, nobody to tell her what to think, or how to feel. It was fresh and distant at the same time.

"He's never going to forgive me," Vitani heard Kovu whisper. "I can't-"

"Wherever I am, you will be also," Kiara promised, pressing her forehead against his mane. Vitani looked away with a small scoff. She didn't know how to feel about _that_ yet. How long had they known each other? Kovu had fallen for the first lioness with a pretty face he'd seen. Were a few sweet words and nuzzles really enough to shake him? Had that been all it took? She wanted to judge him, to scorn him for letting a few soft, fleeting feelings turn him against his family, but she couldn't. After all, what family had he turned against? What kind of family had they had? Now Nuka and Zira were gone. She couldn't think about Nuka, couldn't think about his last minutes of suffering, but when she thought about Zira, she felt nothing. Not even indifference. There was a void.

"Kiara," Nala firmly called for her daughter to join their discussion. Kiara took a deep breath and obeyed, their hushed whisperings and guarded glances telling a clear enough story. Vitani glanced at Simba. His gaze wasn't fixated on anyone, or anything. He was going through the motions of participating, but his body was leaning more heavily on Nala, his gaze glassy, falling on no one in particular. Whatever they were discussing, he'd already made up his mind.

"Your mother," one of the lionesses suddenly prodded Simba. "Honey, you never roared, she doesn't know we won yet, she's probably worried sick."

"Nobody 'won' today," Simba dismissed, his voice dragging as he pulled his body to a stand. The rain had rinsed his wounds, but some still oozed, his pelt awash in streaks of watery blood and specks of mud and grass. Kiara stepped back over to Kovu, nuzzling him lovingly. Kovu's eyes were fixed on Simba, who approached the male.

"Kovu," Simba's voice was clear. "I was wrong. You belong here. After what you did, you've earned a second chance. So have the rest of your pride, if they wish to stay."

"Thank you, sir," Kovu bowed.

"Let's go home," Simba glanced at Kiara, then at Vitani and the others, unsure if they'd heard him correctly. "All of us," he affirmed, before turning and limping away, members of his pride immediately swarming around him protectively, glancing back at the band of lionesses formerly known as Zira's pride. Nala and Kiara remained.

"Simba puts his pride's safety above all else," Nala addressed them firmly. "We have agreed to extend an invitation for all of you to join our pride if you desire, if you do not wish to do so, you may stay for shelter until your strength is back. You may rest under the shelter of Pride Rock out of the elements, but the den is forbidden. You have earned our mercy, but not our trust. Simba is the King and he oversees matters with the herds and our allies, he does deal with pride matters, as the Queen those are my duties and as such you will answer to me. Tomorrow, for those of you who have elected to stay, we will discuss our rules and expectations if you are to join our pride. I trust that all of you understand what will be expected of you in the meantime. Any questions?" None of them spoke. "Kiara?" Nala turned to her daughter. "Would you like to add anything?"

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for your losses," Kiara sounded genuine. Kovu looked away. "I'm so, so sorry. And I hope that those of you who want to stay will come to feel that this is your home, now. I know we can start over, and make things right."


	4. Chapter 4: New

The watering hole near Pride Rock was often populated by a few clusters of herd animals, and Vitani soon learned that there wouldn't be a time that she could sneak forth and quench her thirst unnoticed. So she strode forward, alone, and approached the clay-caked bank. To her surprise, the her animals regarded her with disinterest. Whether or not they knew who she was was unclear. She followed their lead and drank, swallowing the sun-touched, clear water. It tasted of minerals, but was almost sweet. The water of a rich and fertile land.

It had been a week.

Amri and her sister Ori had left. Imara, Kasi, Tazama, and Shabaha were debating doing the same. Mkaidi had insisted that she wanted to stay, and her sister Tumaini would stay as well. What was left of their family was splitting, dissolving.

"Hey," a familiar male voice greeted her quietly as Kovu joined her.

"Hey buttface," she dismissed, lowering her head to drink again. He chuckled and drank beside her.

Kovu, of course, was staying. This seemed like less of a choice and more of a condition. Whatever tension between the princess and the king and queen seemed to have been mended, and Kiara was intent on remaining their heir. She wasn't going anywhere. So long as he kept his head down, Kovu seemed, at best, tolerated by the pride. Simba had hardly glanced at him since allowing him back into his territory. Kovu seemed content to accept his place at the bottom of the hierarchy.

"So," she licked her lips, "You starting a long hard day of napping in the sun, or the shade?"

"Shut up," he rolled his eyes. "I'm not allowed to do shit, or I would."

Nala had carefully begun to rotate in the new lionesses with their hunting parties, always outnumbering her regular hunters to the new ones 4:1. She watched the hunts with the eyes of a hawk, and no mistake nor triumph escaped her eyes. However, she was effective; everyone ate under her guidance. Vitani had to respect her methods. She was tough, but something Vitani and the others were not yet accustomed to; supportive. She had told Tumaini, 'Your gait is too stiff, you're not stretching properly with the group, that's a poor reason for such a swift hunter to be injured.' Her criticism was constructive, not humiliating or shameful. Kovu had not been allowed to join the hunts, nor was solo hunting allowed during the dry season. Simba had made it clear by his body language that Kovu was not welcome to join him in whatever it was he did all day, so Kovu quite literally had nothing to do when he wasn't with Kiara. The lionesses of Zira's pride weren't too keen on how quickly and easily he'd abandoned them for Kiara, and Simba's lionesses still had not forgotten his original intents. Vitani and Kiara were his only friends.

"Oh look," a giraffe snorted, peering over Kovu with a glare. "The rogue is helping himself to our water."

"He should have to share with Dhahabu's herd instead," a female ox agreed snidely. "Make him walk for it."

"Buzz off," Vitani scowled.

"Oh and this one has an attitude," the giraffe tittered. "This dirty, skinny little rat thinks she can talk to the King's subjects like that."

"How trite."

"You know, King Simba only let you in to keep the peace with Princess Kiara, everyone knows it. You're nothing but dirt under our hooves."

"We look out for each other around here," the ox agreed in a deep voice. "Take my advice, stick to Pride Rock. We wouldn't want anyone to mistake you as a threat to the king, now would we?"

"Speak of the devil," a masculine voice interrupted them, "and he shall appear." Simba approached the watering hole, Zazu on his shoulder. Vitani hadn't seen much of Simba since Zira's death. Nobody had. Sometimes he was in the den, sometimes he was gone. Even his own pride seemed unable to keep track of him, nobody knew if he was resting in a secluded place for some quiet, or if he was out working, the older lionesses fretting about how he never listened. It seemed that Simba had something of a headstrong and stubborn reputation within his family. At that moment, it appeared that he was at work. His gaze encompassed the entire watering hole. "Ladies," he addressed the giraffe and ox, "what seems to be the problem?"

"There's no problem, your majesty," the ox answered.

"Really?" Simba stopped beside Vitani. "Are you sure? It sounded like there was. Let's talk about that."

"Oh we-" the giraffe looked to her friend, realizing that Simba had not only heard what they'd said, but didn't like what he'd heard. "We just want to make sure everyone knows their place, sir. Things have been a little...out of sorts, lately."

"I agree," Simba nodded slowly. "Everyone needs to know their place." There was a pause. "Has there been some confusion?"

"...Sir?"

"Apparently so," Simba huffed. "Ladies, this is Vitani, and this is Kovu. They are members of my pride. Perhaps you mistook them for rogues when you threatened them?"

"Your highness," the ox stepped forward, "you can't expect us to feel completely comfortable-"

"So we agree that you threatened members of my pride before raising a formal citizen's complaint with Queen Nala, we're just debating over justification, is that what I'm hearing?" Simba asked harshly.

"It's clear to me that we overstepped our bounds," the ox bowed. "I apologize." Simba waited for the giraffe to speak next. She too, bowed.

"It won't happen again," the giraffe promised.

"I'll stop by both of your herds to ensure that your leaders are clear on our laws about such things," Simba set his jaw. The two animals, along with the scattered bystanders, quickly dispersed, leaving only the three lions and Zazu at the watering hole.

"Well," Zazu quietly remarked. "That's going to get around quickly."

"I don't give a damn how they spin it," Simba dismissed gruffly. "I recognize Twiga, who was the ox?"

"M'zalta," Zazu answered. "You spoke with her father last month with Vruga Vruga."

"Right," Simba looked at Kovu. "Kiara told me you were asking how you could help. Is that correct?"

"Yes, sir," Kovu straightened his posture.

"There are roughly, at any given point, fifteen to twenty thousand animals in the Pride Lands, not including small reptiles and fish," Simba stated. "The vast majority of them are loyal to me, the number of those who are not is insignificantly small. Everyone in the Pride Lands knows that you are Zira's son. Word beyond that has been hazy. Zazu and I can only spread the word concerning your new loyalty so quickly. Your mane and your coloration make you distinct. The most helpful thing you can do right now is stick to the safety of the field surrounding Pride Rock. I strongly advise against coming to the watering hole alone for the time being until I remind my subjects of their place."

"Yes, sir," Kovu was visibly disappointed. Instead of being given a task, he had been told to stay out of the way, like a cub. But, Simba's logic was sound; fifteen to twenty thousand animals hated him. A few might hate him enough to seek him out and harm him. "But, thank you."

"Mhmm," Simba dismissed his gratitude. "Zazu, please find Swala and extend my apologies, but I'm calling it a day," he bent to drink.

"Of course, sire, what reason shall I give for the postponement?"

"Oh," Simba stood back up, "tell her whatever you think is appropriate. I'm tired."

"Shall I tell her you need to recover? She is sympathetic, some honesty might be good, she has noted in the past that she's felt left out of the loop, as it were."

"I'm recovered, don't tell anyone I'm not," Simba was stern. "I'm fine."

"I'll tell her something personal came up with Nala and it needed discussion, then."

"That works. Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow, Zazu."

"Rest well, Simba," Zazu flew off. Vitani and Kovu both bent to drink again, so as not to appear as if they had been eavesdropping. Simba turned away from the watering hole and began to walk towards Pride Rock. Then, they heard him stumble. They both jerked their heads up from the water, the sound of which seemed to startle him as he straightened himself. He stared at them for a moment, breathing deeply. His rear legs shivered with exhaustion. He was on the verge of collapse.

"...Do you need help?" Kovu asked timidly.

"No," Simba rubbed his face with the back of his paw. "I'm fine." With that, he pressed forward, walking stiffly over the hill.

"He just doesn't stop," Kovu whispered.

"Tough guy," Vitani agreed with some disinterest. Kovu looked down.

"He would have killed me."

"You don't know that," she rolled her eyes.

"Look at him," Kovu argued. "Then look at me. He's way bigger and he's had years of _real_ practice. Not just sparring, he's defeated rogues, he's_ killed_ a rogue, at least one that we know of. He would have ripped me in half."

"Keep your voice down," she hissed, glancing around at the empty watering hole.

"I'm only alive because of Kiara," he shook his head. "I would have stupidly attacked him thinking that if I just took him by surprise..." he sighed. "It wouldn't have mattered. He's stronger and more skilled."

"You're not even really grown yet," Vitani reminded him. This wasn't comforting to either of them. "You'll...you know, bulk up."

"Yeah I guess. Do um, do you think she knew?"

"Who?"

"Zira."

"I don't know anything, Kovu," Vitani began to walk away from him. "That's about the only thing I do know right now." She didn't want to talk about this any longer.

"Did Simba ever say anything about him?" Kovu asked. Vitani stopped.

"Who?"

"Nuka."

"Simba kept Nuka's name out of his mouth because he's smart," she snapped. "What happened was...it happened, it's over, nothing he can say can fix it. He knows that."

"I don't think it was anyone's fault," Kovu mumbled. "Except...maybe hers."

"Yeah, well, you sit on that." Vitani tore herself away from Kovu, leaving him at the watering hole.

"Vitani, wait," Kovu bounded up the hill and kept stride with her. "Please, can we talk? We-we haven't even talked about it."

"Talked about what? That Nuka's dead? That Zira's dead? So what? They're dead, we can't do shit about it. We live here, now, it's over, there's nothing to talk about. Fuck, when did you get so sensitive?"

"Wait, you're staying?" He perked up.

"Where the fuck else would I go?" She demanded.

"But, it's just, Kasi and Imara and-"

"Yeah, well if everyone leaves, somebody's gotta stick around to make sure you don't get your brains smeared in the dirt by a bitchy giraffe when Simba's not looking, alright? Besides, I'm not a moron, there's food and water here and they don't even make us work for it."

"I like it here too," he nodded.

"Shut up, you're happy to be getting laid."

"That's not true! We haven't-it's not like that, alright?"

"Holy shit you're at her beck and call and she's not even putting out?" Vitani gawked. "Damn, who are you?"

"Fuck you," he scowled. "It's just different here, different in a good way. You like it too, or you'd already be gone."

"It's fine, it's just a normal pride."

"We've never had normal though, have we?"

"Ugh, listen to you, blabbering on about all this emotional bullshit," she rolled her eyes. "Man, Kiara's got you wrapped around her little claw."

"You saw how Simba stood up for us," Kovu argued. "Even after everything. It's different here."

"I agreed with you, just, shut up already. Enough. Go be a lazy good-for-nothing until Kiara gets back from whatever she's doing."

"Kiara's been at Pride Rock all day, I came to check on you."

"...Oh. Well, it almost got your ass beat by grass-eaters, so, maybe not your best plan."

"You're gonna warm up to this place, I promise."

"What makes you so damn certain?"

"Because I trust Kiara."

"Cute."

* * *

Vitani stretched under the moonlight, the insects chirping and owls hooting. A few bats chittered as they flew past. The edges of Pride Rock seemed to glow, its grand shadow bathing her in darkness. The sky was clear, the stars bright, but the night air had gotten colder each night, a light frost dusting the grass in the mornings. The remaining lionesses from Zira's pride, and to everyone's shock, Kovu, had been invited into the den. All had taken Nala up on their offer but Vitani. There had been a gradual acceptance of the new pride members, as casual conversations between the two sides had begun to occur sporadically after hunts or at the watering hole, and Kiara had been hellbent on making them feel as comfortable as possible. Simba clearly favored the companionship of his original pride, and was not shy about putting them first. His lionesses didn't ask much of him, but whatever they did want, they got. Nala fell somewhere between the two, as she was clearly trying to foster peace between the two sides, but the concerns of the newcomers came decidedly second to those of her closest pride mates. This was, the remaining of Zira's old pride had privately agreed, fair. Mkaidi had been the first to point out the obvious; they ate better and were more comfortable as second class citizens under Simba than they had been under Zira. Vitani and Kovu hadn't felt comfortable commenting on this. After all, as Zira's children, they'd eaten first, even if it hadn't been much.

As she settled into a nook at the base of Pride Rock she'd grown fond of, she heard someone approaching.

"Vitani?" It was Sarabi.

"Down here, ma'am," Vitani stood, unsure why the king's mother was seeking her out. She felt a familiar anxiety creeping into the back of her mind, wondering what she could have done wrong that warranted punishment. When Zira was in a mood, she could find fault in anything, no matter how small. Had she stumbled during a hunt, had she not heard Simba greet her with a quiet 'Morning' as he sometimes did and offended him? Had someone mistaken her boredom for an attitude?

"Aren't you cold?" Sarabi asked. She was.

"No, I'm fine, ma'am."

"Still," Sarabi cocked her head, looking at the lioness sadly. "I'd feel better if you weren't out here all alone."

"I can take care of myself."

"You sound so much like my son," she smiled sadly. "You were so little, but do you remember when he came home?"

"A little."

"That was such a hard time," she shook her head. "Especially for you. I'm so sorry."

"He had to defend his place," Vitani shrugged. "He did what he had to."

"We made a mistake in telling him to do it," Sarabi admitted. This caught Vitani's interest.

"I didn't know anyone told him to do anything."

"He was hardly older than you, he didn't know what he was doing. He was so overwhelmed, he did whatever we told him to do those first few months. We were scared, and, well, I think you know him well enough to know that he tends to be overprotective. It feels good to be under his wing, but he has the power to do a lot of harm, even if he doesn't mean to. We led him very much astray and you paid the price for it. It wasn't fair, and I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be," Vitani looked at her paws, hardly able to comprehend what she was hearing. Their exile hadn't even been Simba's idea? Simba hadn't even been grown? The more she learned about this pride, the more pointless and irrational the feud had seemed. "Zira attacked him, she asked for it."

"She was hurting, and my son wasn't exactly very kind to her. They were both suffering, we should have kept them apart. We should have intervened sooner. I can't help but think it was preventable."

"I don't know how you're going to take this," Vitani was afraid to look up, "and I don't mean it the wrong way, but, Zira was never going to live peacefully with Simba. She just wasn't."

"I know," Sarabi sounded sad. "I suppose I don't know what else I think could have happened. But. Nevertheless, it wasn't fair to you cubs."

"Happens," Vitani shrugged.

"Well," Sarabi stood, "Vitani, you're welcome to come inside and join us whenever you'd like."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Sarabi nodded and began to walk away. Something tugged at Vitani's mind.

"Ma'am?"

"Yes, Vitani?"

"You said I remind you of your son. How?"

"Well," Sarabi paused thoughtfully, "Vitani, to be truthful, you've never seen my son happy. He wasn't happy when he became king, and he's not been happy since Kion left and everything started to fall apart. It's been a while since he truly seemed happy. But I know that soon he'll be happy again. He needs structure, and he needs excitement. He's a little funny that way. When he has a clear purpose, something to strive for, a new challenge every day, but a stable and loving pride to come home to, that's when he truly thrives. You remind me a lot of him when he first came back to us. Full of potential and passion, but aimless and hurt. I know there's a place for you here, something to give you that fire back that I know you have. I see you being happy, Vitani."

Vitani was taken aback. Nobody had ever talked to her this way before. Nobody had ever taken the time to look past her physical capabilities and pondered what more she could be. Nobody had ever looked at her with the eyes of a mother. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"What do you think that purpose might be?"

"I don't know," Sarabi admitted. "But I know we'll find it. Are you coming?"

"...Yeah," Vitani stood. "I'm coming."

* * *

**Author's Note,**

**Corderbollie, you are so talented and sweet and I'm so glad we met. You deserve the world.**

**\- Dieren**


End file.
